A Systematic Review to assess Nurses’ and Physicians’ Attitudes, Knowledge, and Perceptions toward Fever in Children

Abstract

Context: Fever is a prevalent symptom in children commonly managed by nurses and pediatricians. Despite its routine occurrence in clinical settings, fever often evokes unwarranted concerns among parents and healthcare professionals alike.

Objective: This study aims to explore the impact of healthcare professionals' knowledge, perceptions, and attitudes toward fever on its management. Additionally, it seeks to assess the effectiveness of educational interventions in enhancing nurses' understanding and altering their attitudes and perceptions regarding childhood fever.

Data Sources: A systematic review was conducted following PRISMA international guidelines and Cochrane recommendations. Articles focusing on healthcare professionals' (doctors and/or nurses) views on fever management in children and the utilization of antipyretic medications were selected for analysis.

Study Selection: The study included articles that examined healthcare professionals' knowledge, perceptions, and attitudes toward childhood fever and antipyretic use. Data extraction involved a qualitative analysis, categorizing studies based on educational interventions for nurses regarding fever management in children and evaluating their outcomes.

Results: The qualitative synthesis encompassed 16 articles, to assess the effectiveness of educational programs on fever management among nurses.

Conclusion: Findings from the review suggest that nurses and physicians tend to overtreat fever in children, influenced by their perceptions and attitudes. The recommendation grade for utilizing educational programs to modify healthcare professionals' attitudes, perceptions, and knowledge concerning childhood fever and improve clinical practices among nurses is rated as D.